Device for safely retaining a lighted cigarette



Oct. 15, 1968 s. LUSTBADER 3,405,719

DEVICE FOR SAFELY RETAINING A LIGHTED CIGARETTE Filed Oct. 12, 1966 United States Patent 3,405,719 DEVICE FOR SAFELY RETAINING A LIGHTED CIGARETTE Samuel Lustbader, 2815 W. 30th St, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11224 Filed Oct. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 586,066 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-235) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable cigarette retaining and holding device is provided of a tubular member having a lower portion, a middle portion and an upper portion. The lower portion is capable of receiving and holding ash, the middle portion, having apertures passing therethrough permits the cigarette to burn while the lighted portion is in the area of the apertures, and the upper portion, having cigarette retaining protuberances therein, extinguishes the cigarette when the lighted portion of the cigarette is in the upper portion.

The present invention relates to a device for safely retaining an initially lighted cigarette and, more particularly, to a device for holding a cigarette, depending on the smokers desire, either lighted or extinguished and which will automatically extinguish a cigarette after a given amount of time after the cigarette has been initially placed in the device for retention in .a burning condition.

Cigarette extinguishers have been known for a great many years and these are usually provided as a portion of an ash tray. These devices work under the simple principle that when a burning cigarette is denied oxygen, it will become extinguished. However, for the most part, such devices have been fairly complex and bulky due to their association with an ashtray. In addition, such devices do not generally provide the smoker with the option of maintaining the cigarette in a lighted or burning condition.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the defects of the prior art, such as indicated above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for extinguishing cigarettes and retaining ashes, which device may be carried in the pocket.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for holding a lighted cigarette for an interval of time before effecting extinguishing of such cigarette.

-It is another object of the present invention to provide a cigarette extinguishing device which may be carried by the smoker, which device extinguishes the cigarette without causing damage thereto so that it may subsequently be re-lighted.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a single means for collecting ashes, holding a cigarette in burning position, and extinguishing a cigarette which means is relatively inexpensive, is simple in construction and is highly effective in operation.

These objects and the nature and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3 showing one embodiment of a detail of construction;

FIG. 6 is a different embodiment of the detail shown in FIG. 5; and

ICC

FIG. 7 is yet another embodiment of the detail shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In accordance with the present invention, a device for safely retaining an initially lighted cigarette is shown generally at 10 and essentially comprises an elongated hollow tube 12 having an open upper end 14 and a closed bottom end 16. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the tube 12 is of relatively small size, being roughly equal in magnitude to a cigarette 18; it is therefore clear that the device may be simply carried in the pocket of the smoker and may be used at any time and particularly when an ashtray is not available, such as in a movie theater, etc.

The tube 12 is divided generally into three portions namely, a lower portion 20, a middle portion 22, and an upper portion 24.

The lower portion 20 and the tube bottom end 16 c0- operate to form an ash-receiving cavity 26 which serves to collect and retain any cigarette ash which is formed during use of the device. It may be noted that in the embodiment illustrated the ash-receiving cavity 26 has an internal diameter somewhat greater than other portions of the tube 12; while such construction is preferred, it may be advisable to form the tubing 12 with a constant internal diameter and this may be advantageous for simplicity of construction where the device 10 is machined from metal or die cast from metal or plastic.

The middle section 22 of the tube 12 is provided with a plurality of air inlet passages 28 passing through the wall of the tubing 12. As seen in FIG. 1, when a cigarette is retained in the device 10 and is provided with its burning end in the area of the air inlet passages 28, the cigarette will continue to burn since it is provided with sufiicient oxygen to maintain combustion through the air inlet passages 28.

The upper portion 24 of the tube 12 is provided with an imperforate wall and such portion 24 serves to extinguish the burning cigarette by preventing suflicient access of oxygen to the end of the burning cigarette in order to maintain combustion. As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the upper imperforate tube portion 24 has an internal diameter which is not substantially greater than the diameter of a cigarette.

Located along the length of the upper imperforate section 24 is provided a suitable [friction element 30 which retains a cigarette in the tube 12 in the position desired. As can be seen comparing FIGS. 4 and 5, the inwardly projecting friction element 30' is provided at the location of the smallest internal diameter of the upper portion 24. It should be understood, however, that the upper portion 24 may have, if desired, a uniform internal diameter rather than the vertically changing diameter as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the inwardly projecting friction element may comprise a plurality of inwardly projecting hemispheres which may be formed integrally with the tube as it is formed. Alternately, small balls may be united to the inner surface of the tube 12. after its initial formation; if such balls and the tube 12 are formed of metal, the balls may be welded therein. If desired, in place of the three ball projections 30 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a single inwardly projecting hemisphere may be utilized. 7 A

In place of the hemispheres shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the inwardly projecting friction element may comprise a vertically corrugated rib collar 30'. As with the hemispheres 30, such a rib collar 30' may be either integrally formed with the tubing 12 or it may be subsequently inserted and may be welded thereto.

A third embodiment for the inwardly projecting friction element comprises a plurality of inwardly projecting fins 30" as shown in FIG. 7. Such fins 30" are preferably formed integrally with the tube 12 at the time of its 3 formation. The friction elements 30' and 30" may vary in height anywhere from approximately V of an inch to /2 of an inch.

If desired, a suitable stand 32 may be provided for the device 10 to maintain the tube 12 in an upright position. While any suitable stand may be used, it has been been found particularly desirable to provide a common suction cup such as one formed of natural or synthetic rubber, for the stand 32. In such a case, the device 10 may simply be taken from ones pocket when its use is desired and it may be attached to any suitable surface via the suction cup 32. Of course, other stands may be used.

The device may be formed of any suitable material such as various metals, metal alloys, ceramics, or temperature resistant plastics, e.g., thermosetting plastics such as glass reinforced phenol-formaldehyde resin. Metals such as aluminum or brass are particularly suitable. The device 10 may be formed in a desirable manner such as be die cast or machined. If formed of plastic, the device may be cast using a frangible core or an inflatable core.

A particular advantage of the device lies in its versatility. In the first place, the device may simply be used to extinguish cigarettes for their later re-use 'by inserting the cigarette in the open end 14 to a point immediately above the openings 28; in such a case the cigarette will quickly become extinguished. If it is desired to maintain the cigarette lighted, it is only necessary to insert the burning end to the location shown in FIG. 1 so that the burning end is adjacent the windows 28; in such a case the cigarette will remain burning. However, if the cigarette is forgotten, it will continue to burn until it reaches the upper portion 24 of the tube 12, at which point it will become extinguished; therefore, the device is safe and will not permit the unrestrained burning of the cigarette. Lastly, the device is provided with the ash-receiving cavity 26 which may be used as a temporary ashtray when no other ashtrays are available and which will collect dropped ashes while the cigarette is being retained in its burning position illustrated in FIG. 1. Its small size enables the device 10 to be carried in the pocket and used at any time a smoker desires.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for safely retaining an initially lighted cigarette which may be carried in the pocket, comprising: an elongated hollow tube of sufliciently small size to be carried in the pocket and having an open upper end and a closed bottom end; means to collect and retain cigarette ashes comprising a lower portion of said tube and ing cavity; means to provide air to the burning end of a cigarette disposed in said tube to maintain said cigarette lighted, said air providing means comprising a middle tube portion above said ash receiving cavity defining air inlet openings through said tube; means to extinguish the burning end of a cigarette disposed in said tube, said extinguishing means comprising an imperforate upper tube portion disposed above said middle tube portion and below said open end, said imperforate upper portion having an internal diameter not substantially greater than the diameter of a cigarette; and means to retain a cigarette in said tube comprising an inwardly projecting friction element disposed along the length of said imperforate upper portion; each said middle tube portion and said ash receiving cavity having an internal diameter greater than said imperforate upper tube portion.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cigarette retaining friction element comprises a vertically corrugated rib collar.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cigarette retaining friction element comprises at least one inwardly projecting hemisphere.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cigarette retaining friction element comprises a plurality of inwardly projecting fins.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for holding said tube in an upright position.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said tube holding means comprises a suction cup extending from said tube bottom end.

References Cited 7/ 1934 Great Britain.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner. 

